Business lessons I’ve learned

What was your first job?

My first full-time job was an Office Junior at Deloitte Haskins & Sells.

When would you like to retire?

When I stop enjoying what I’m doing.

What did you have for breakfast?

Greek yoghurt with banana washed down with Lavazza caramel coffee – I’m not usually that healthy!

Who, or what, inspires you?

My Father, nature and travel.

What’s the last book you read / film you saw?

Recently watched The Godfather again “For justice, we must go to Don Corleone”.

John Hannah, Managing Partner, SBP Accountants and Business Advisors

What does your company do that others don’t?

At SBP we take a genuine interest in our clients and staff. We are currently working our way through a staff wellness program as we believe happy, motivated staff will assist us in providing an excellent service to our clients. We aim to have long-term employees who form lasting business relationships with our clients, providing proactive advice that allows our clients to achieve both their business and personal goals. We also have associated wealth management, financial services, and mortgage advisers to hand as well as being able to offer our clients expert lending advice.

What are the most pressing challenges that your industry sector faces today, and why?

We are all working our way through the post pandemic era where we have seen many businesses borrow money to try and navigate through the pandemic. Inflation and interest rates are extremely high and there is a severe lack of labour resources in many sectors. It is basically the perfect storm. The fight for talent in accountancy SMEs is particularly hard. This is making the industry as a whole have to think more deeply about culture and values and invest more in training and development.

What is the hardest lesson you have learned in your career to date?

Assuming everyone I worked with, had the same morals as I do. I have fortunately, over the years, managed to cut ties with those who do not.

What is the most valuable piece of business advice you have ever received?

Be good at what you do, work hard and don’t be scared to borrow money to make money.

What’s been your proudest career achievement to date, and why?

Managing to keep the business afloat and then achieve growth, following the retiral of the original Partner and early passing of another Partner in 2009, within a very short space of time. These events resulted in me having to borrow a significant amount of money as well as work a silly amount of hours for quite some time. It was basically “sink or swim” so coming out the other end and managing to build a successful, growing accountancy practice is very pleasing.

If you could make one thing happen tomorrow that would benefit North-east Scotland, what would that be?

Move industry from our inner harbours to the outskirts of our towns and cities and build luxury accommodation, exquisite restaurants with organic farm to table produce and other amenities on our waterfronts. Create quality jobs and opportunities for all and of course, improve the North-east weather!

Double win for Mackie’s

Mackie’s of Scotland emerged as the double winner at a major awards ceremony, landing accolades for its green innovation and the quality of a new popular ice cream flavour.

The family-owned firm was recognised at the North-east Scotland Food & Drink Awards, which saw more than 250 industry professionals descend on The Chester Hotel in Aberdeen to celebrate the 36 companies nominated across 12 categories.

Westertown Farm based Mackie’s secured the Sustainability Award, in recognition for its innovation, reflected most recently by the installation of one of Europe’s most efficient low carbon refrigeration systems, which now enables it to export even more renewable energy to the grid.

It also took home Best New Product (Large Business) for its Strawberry Swirl, which uses fruit from Aberdeenshire’s Castleton Farm, with sauces created in-house by Mackie’s and folded through strawberry ice cream.

River Dee pushes towards target million-tree milestone

The River Dee Trust conservation charity and their partners are nearing their halfway milestone of planting a million trees to save endangered salmon and other wildlife.

The river’s ecosystem is facing the threat of dangerously rising water temperatures.

The huge community campaign to create cooling shade is well ahead of schedule, but river managers warn they are in a race against time.

Over 460,000 native trees have now been planted along the banks of the River Dee and its tributaries, as part of ambitious plans to plant a million native trees launched in spring 2020.

The £5.5milion campaign led by the River Dee Trust with the Dee District Salmon Fishery Board is part of efforts to deliver landscape-scale conservation across the eastern Cairngorms.

The number of trees planted brings the project well ahead of the target date of 2035 for getting the first million trees in the ground, with the main species being alder, willow, birch, aspen and Scots pine.

Tom Aikens joins signature food festival line-up

The autumn menu for the Signature Food Festival 2023 in Aberdeen will delight diners as renowned chefs from across the UK raise money for The JEllie Foundation in Aberdeen this September and November.

Tom Aikens, hailed as one of the most creative and talented chefs the country has ever seen and holder of two Michelin stars, will make his first Signature appearance.

He’ll be joined by Tom Brown and Lisa Goodwin-Allen cooking for the festival once again after their outstanding debuts at the 2022 event, and the ever-popular Phil Howard and Glynn Purnell who will be marking their third and fourth visits respectively to the pass at The Chester Hotel.

Between them the chefs – all regular faces on the Great British Menu and Saturday Morning Kitchen – hold seven Michelin stars and 17 AA Red Rosettes.

The festival, the only one of its kind in Scotland, is the creation of Gillian and Graham Wood, owners of The Chester Hotel and trustees of The JEllie Foundation.

Graham says: “The Signature Food Festival is growing in awareness amongst the UK chef fraternity and we’re able each year to attract new, very high-profile names to cook for our diners. The fact that so many much-loved faces like Glynn Purnell, Phil Howard and Atul Kochhar are returning too, year on year, shows we must be doing something right with our approach of inviting the culinary elite to Aberdeen to cook with the finest local, seasonal produce to raise money for good causes.”

RGU rated among UK’s best

Robert Gordon University (RGU) has been placed in the top three institutions in Scotland and the top 10 in the UK for student satisfaction in the latest Complete University Guide league table.

The 2024 rankings also saw RGU rise 11 places overall to be named as one of the guide’s major climbers and the biggest increase of any Scottish institution.

Professor Lynn Kilbride, Vice Principal for Academic Development & Student Experience, said: “I’m delighted to see that our student satisfaction ranking remains among the very best institutions across the UK.

“These results are a testament to our entire staff community who work hard and in partnership with our stakeholders to ensure that our students have an excellent experience as they gain knowledge for their chosen career path and the skills to become global citizens.

“RGU’s strategic aim includes transforming people and communities by offering high-quality education that provides students with the skills to thrive throughout their lives. This continues to bear fruit and we will continue to work together to keep delivering excellence going forward.”